Verna Marie "Bitz" Riese, Orfordville, WI (1918-2014)

Verna Marie “Bitz” Riese, age 95, passed away on Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, at Collinwood Elderly Care, Orfordville. She was born in Plymouth Township, Rock County, on Aug. 13, 1918, the daughter of Fred and Elsie (Hatton) Diehls. She attended Ellis School, and graduated from Janesville High School in 1936. “Bitz” lived on a farm in the Orfordville area, for many years and worked in food service at Parkview School District, Orfordville, and after moving to Florida, in the Charlotte County School District. She married Donald Paul Riese on July 27, 1973, in Punta Gorda, FL. They spent many happy years in Florida, enjoyed traveling around the country and coming back to northern Wisconsin, during the summer. He passed away Oct. 15, 2003. “Bitz” returned to Orfordville in 2012. She was an outstanding cook, who enjoyed being with her family and friends, and playing cards, dominoes, and doing crafts.

"Bitz" is survived by her sisters-in-law, Genevieve Abrahamson and Mary Diehls; nieces and nephews: Jerry, David, John and Christine Abrahamson, Andrew, Pete, Charles, and Steven Diehls, David, Fred, Dale, Larry Diehls, Susan Hasse and Mary Lyn Warhus, Ronald, Richard and William Easton; great-niece, Darcy Worple; goddaughter, Kathy Demrow; and many other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; step-mother, Fannie Diehls; brothers, George (Maxine) and Evan Diehls; sister, Hattie (Ray) Easton; niece, Fay Vogel; and nephew, Timothy Diehls.

Funeral services will be held at NEWCOMER-SILVERTHORN CHAPEL ON THE HILL, Hwy 11 and South Coon Island Road, Orfordville, at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, with Pastor Jeanette Thorp officiating. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the FUNERAL HOME. Burial will be in Grove Cemetery, Town of Center.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Collinwood for the care and compassion they gave “Bitz”,